The Fallen Jedi
by Taylong Azhyn
Summary: AU. A few months before the supposed fall of the Galactic Republic, Anakin and Ahsoka are sent on an inverstigation of an ancient Sith Temple. While there, Ahsoka finds out an ancient secret and meets an old fallen Jedi, who lives beyond time. Through love, loss and conspiracy, a once respected Jedi became the greatest Sith in Galactic History, but also it's potential saviour...
1. The Ancient Sith

_**Disclaimer: **I own none of the characters except for the two ancient sith mentioned in the title, and maybe some more that will show up on the way - these are my creations. Everything else is the property of Lucasarts Ltd._

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_**The Ancient Sith**_

Upon coming back from an extremely tiring mission in the outer rim, Ahsoka Tano was hoping to finally have at least one day of rest, but as another cruel twist of fate unfolded to answer her hopes, she and her master Anakin Skywalker didn't even have chance to get to their apartments before being summoned by the Jedi High Council.

"Why can't they just give us a break?!" was the most common saying among the master and his padawan nowadays.

"Probably because we're too good to set aside..." answered Anakin while entering the lift that lead to the council chamber.

Upon arriving there, both Anakin and Ahsoka noticed a strange disturbance in the force - like the entire council, all twelve members, were in a very sad and worried mood. Seeing their faces after entering the room just enforced that feeling. The entire council sat silent awaiting them (a very unusual feat since they ALWAYS have something to discuss), and when they stood in front of the council, Master Yoda spoke in a very silent and rather weak voice:

"Disturbing news, the council has received. A Jedi was killed, and not by droids, he was. By lightsaber, slain he was."

Seeing the confusion on Anakin's and Ahsoka's faces, Master Windu continued:

"It happened on Alderaan, while Dooku was leading a separatist parliament meeting on Raxus Prime. We could have suspected it to be the doings of Darth Sidious, or some other assassin, but..."

"A red eagle, in the skies was seen soon afterwards. The sign of bigger mystery, it is." Yoda continued "Long ago, an ancient Sith there was. His name, long forgotten is, but his legacy was not. So powerful was he, that achieved long life he has, and recorded, his death never was. Fear we must, that come back he has."

"That is why we send you to investigate;" Windu took the speaking once more "You will go to the Sith Temple on Thule. It is abandoned for millennia now, and recent intelligence confirms it is abandoned still, but our archives mention that the Temple holds a vast library inside it, and it should contain some information we might be interested in. Master Kenobi will accompany you. May the force be with you."

And with that Obi-Wan stood up and lead his former padawan's padawan, and the former padawan himself out of the room. Obi-Wan could give no more explanations, since none of the council members actually knew anything else, except Yoda, and Windu who has learned a few things from the former. They boarded their ship soon afterwards, and took off for Thule.

*********************************Thule Sith Temple******************************

All the way to Thule, Obi-Wan didn't waste a single moment he could use for lecturing on how dangerous it might be to be digging out information from an ancient Sith Library, and on how careful they should be. Repeating the same idea ten times in a row, changing the order of the words each time he did it, he also tried to change the words, only to find himself repeating the very same sentence three times in a row with no changes at all. When they finally got to Thule and found the Temple, Obi-Wan's lectures turned into exams - every now and again asking about what should be done in the case of... or what shouldn't be done at all.

"Would you please stop it Master?!" shouted Anakin as Obi-Wan began repeating his lectures again.

"Sorry Anakin, but I'm just trying to avoid complications and..." his words were cut off again by Anakin's annoyed voice.

"You were trying to avoid complications for the last three and a half hours! I think that is more than enough to..."

"Would you please stop arguing?" Ahsoka cut them both as Obi-Wan opened his mouth to answer, but now he closed it back again.

They were now walking down a long and dark corridors, that apparently lead to the main hall. The whole corridor was full of tall cloaked figures of long dead Sith Lords, each holding a cold and lightless lantern.

"This place gives me the creeps," said Rex pointing his flashlight to one of the statues "it almost feels like their following us with their eyes!"

"Are you sure there's no one in here master?" asked Ahsoka in a worried voice.

"Relax," answered Anakin, "it's an old Sith Temple. If there was anybody home, we'd be dead by now."  
"Very relaxing, master..." groaned Ahsoka stepping a little closer to the Jedi Masters.

Soon afterwards they arrived onto a balcony overlooking a great hall. In front of them the passage continued some fifteen metres more, until it turned into another corridor on the right. On the left was an extremely narrow and borderless passage along the main hall's wall, with the passage being some twenty metres off the hall's floor.

"According to Yoda's description, the library should be on the far end of that passage over there." announced Obi-Wan pointing to the corridor on the other side of the balcony. "Ahsoka, Rex, you stay here. Anakin and I will go to investigate the library. If you see anything strange, call me immediately. Do not engage with anyone unless it is inevitable. Understood?"

"Sir, yes sir!" answered Rex affirmatively, with Ahsoka just nodding slightly.

"Master, can I go with you?" plead Ahsoka,

"No, young padawan, you stay here," answered Obi-Wan, "a Sith library is no place for padawans"

"But..." protested Ahsoka,

"Ahsoka, do what Obi-Wan says." Anakin closed the discussion.

"Yes master." groaned Ahsoka and sat near the wall.

It seemed to be a long time since the Jedi left the padawan and the captain alone on the balcony, and now some dim sunlight appeared through narrow windows in the high ceiling of the main hall. With the little light that appeared, Ahsoka saw a strange shape near the wall, not far from her. It was something small and dark, of a rectangular shape. Soon afterwards, like by a personal request, the sun appeared through a window straight above the spot where the strange object lay, and lighted up the whole area around it, just to reveal an old, dusty and weathered book. Ahsoka made her way towards the book, and picking it up she took the book's former place and sat in the sunlight.

The book wasn't large, but it was old. Very old. It looked like it's been lying there for millennia! The book itself was written by hand - in a very unusual handwriting. It was written in basic, a little old fashioned though, but the letters were a cursive version of the High Galactic Alphabet, and Ahsoka could barely read them. The book had no title, but it looked as if some ancient Sith Lord just recorded his entire life of dark force studies in it. Opening a random page, Ahsoka began reading:

_"Two and a half centuries have gone by since I beheld the true prowess of the Dark Side, and now finally I begin to pass my knowledge to a new generation. I have taken myself an apprentice, whom I shall call a name later if he proves strong enough to survive my training. He is strong with the force, and through despair and pain, he will learn to rise to power! The days of darkne..."_ The rest of the page was burned, and she couldn't understand much of it. Scrolling onwards, she also discovered that half of the pages were missing. Finally, when she did find a readable page, she continued:

_"Ragsalt becomes stronger by the day. His talent is incredible, but his lack of discipline is enraging. For once I hope to have a rest from punishments - having him beg me for mercy each and every day, again and again and again. Training is tiring, and as I train him, I more and more tend to remember the past - the long forgotten past that I have left behind more than half a millennium ago. Ah, so the years go by. One by one they are taken away by the eternal darkness. Deep is the abyss of the darkness, and powerful are the waters of the dark well, but prevent me from making count they always do. How old am I? How long have I trained him? Now I look upon him training, frustrating himself and exploiting his rage... I remember the years better. I am a score of scores counted thrice and seven years old, eight centuries since I empowered myself with the dark, now almost five centuries since I took him as my apprentice. Six and eighty and four hundred years to be precise. So I count upon his sight - and so his name will be - the counter of years, of souls, of despairs. From now on, he shall be called the dark counter - __**Darth Contabilous**__."_

Reading the last words Ahsoka thought that old Sith books did influence their readers that weren't strong enough, since she heard the last two words being spoken. But she soon realised that the book didn't speak, nor did any voice in her head, but one of the two cloaked figures standing in the now well-lit main hall, facing each other. The closer figure, and the slightly taller, was clad in black robes, with a long black cloak and a deep hood drawn upon his head, overshadowing his face. The other one was clad in muddy-brown robes and with no cloak, while his hood was recently removed from his head by himself. The taller figure spoke:

"Darth Contabilous, you demanded my audience. Speak now, ere I leave!"

"My old master! Am I glad to see you!" answered Darth Contabilous in a sarcastic tone. "And I thought you wouldn't come!"

"If you ever did think I would not come, you wouldn't have come hither as well." answered the black-clad figure in a calm tone.

"You're wrong. You know I don't bother travelling, especially when searching for thee!" shot Contabilous in an even more sarcastic tone.

"You might not be bothered by this, by you are well aware my former apprentice Darth Sidious will not allow you to interfere in his business, and yet, you go and slay a Jedi on Alderaan as if nothing will happen?" although extremely old, neither of them sounded like being old. Both sounded like being in their mid-thirties, and as for Darth Contabilous, he also looked like that.  
"And what would actually happen, in your ingenious and eternal opinion, old friend?" asked Contabilous in such a sarcastic tone, that it almost seemed as if he was drawing sadistic pleasure out of it.

"What might happen in the future, I cannot tell you, but I am aware of my surroundings. Two Jedi Knights are now searching the library only a hundred metres away from here and there's an entire fleet above the planet. You think you can handle them all?" the tall master asked, in a still calm tone, beginning to circle around Contabilous, who circled around as well.

"The Jedi will find nothing in that dusty library." dismissed Contabilous,

"The Jedi will find nothing just as most Togrutas are born deaf." said the old master, causing Ahsoka to wonder why in the name of the force would he mention Togrutas in a sarcastic manner? Now his face was revealed to Ahsoka and Rex watching from above. He was half smiling, yet his expression was buried in years of experience, most of which seemed extremely unpleasant as shown by his stern seriousness. His eyes where deep brown, and Ahsoka catched a small and strange glint in them - as if a reflection of himself - as if he was seeing through **her own eyes**.

"Or do you suppose Togrutan padawans and clone captains are both deaf and blind, to be standing above us and notice naught?" continued the master, now looking at Ahsoka straight in the eye. For some reason, she could not move. She wanted to run away and find her master, but she couldn't move a muscle. She was amazed by the speed at which Darth Contabilous leaped upon the balcony, dragging Ahsoka and Rex down to the hall. There, he threw her on the floor, laughing madly.

"No Jedi scum will survive a meeting with me!" shouted Contabilous reaching for an old fashioned lightsaber hanging on his belt. Moments before his hand could reach the saber, the black-clad Sith master behind him arose his hands, and by that Ahsoka blacked out, and remembered nothing more.

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_**Author's Note: **__Hope you liked it, let me know what you think. This is my first submission to Fanfiction, so I would dearly appreciate building criticism. If there are any grammatical/language issues, let me know and I'll correct them as I can - English isn't my native tongue..._


	2. Only More Questions

**Thank you all that have read my first chapter, hope you enjoyed it! Special thanks to the users who took their time to review the chapter - _LadyIunanra_ and _Darth Vadie_! Hope there will be more reviews this time...**

_**Disclaimer****: **I own nothing except for the characters and planets I keep creating. All other characters and locations are the property of LucasArts Ltd._

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_**Only More Questions**_

Obi-Wan and Anakin found the Sith Library quickly, since Yoda's description of the place was very precise, but despite its immense size, they could find nothing readable. All books were either rotten or burned. After spending a long time hopelessly searching through the books, they both stirred.

"Did you sense that?" asked Obi-Wan.

"Yes, and that felt really strange." answered Anakin, shortly before hearing a loud cry coming from the main hall.

"Something's happened!" concluded Obi-Wan motioning to Anakin to follow him as he ran towards the hall.

Arriving into the main hall a few minutes later, they found no one on the balcony they expected to find Rex and Ahsoka on, but they did notice two figures lying on the main hall's floor. One of them was obviously Rex's figure in his clone armour, but the other one they have never seen before. Jumping off the balcony and running towards the figures, they noticed that Rex was coming to his senses again.

"Rex! What happened here? Where's Ahsoka?" Anakin questioned him while Obi-Wan stooped above the other figure.

"We saw two men down here, they were talking, and it sounded like they were Sith. Then they noticed us and brought us down, and then I just blacked out." answered Rex dizzily, and then saw the other figure, "He's the one who dragged us here!"

At that moment the unconscious body of Darth Contabilous suddenly showed signs of consciousness. Both Jedi ignited their lightsaber at once, but to their amazement they never had the chance to point them at the Sith, since he was already on his feet when the lightsabers were drawn, and already leaped away when they targeted him. As fast as a lightning, he was gone through one of the windows in the high ceiling. Shocked, they looked at each other.

"Great, now we have no padawan and no Sith!" shouted Anakin in frustration.

"You better not despair, young Jedi." he was answered by a cold voice from behind them. They turned around at once, only to face a man with an unreadable cold expression, clad in a dark green cape with his hood on.

"Who are you and what do you know about the happenings in here?" interrogated Obi-Wan, now pointing his lightsaber at the stranger.

"Relax, Jedi, I am but a simple exile. If you want to find anything, you better try the Trayus Academy on Malachor V. They say it was re-established..." said the stranger and turned to go.

"Wait! Who are you?" asked Anakin.

The stranger stopped for a second, and not turning back answered "My name is Lázzar, and I doubt there be anything else you could possibly comprehend." he said and walked away into the shadows.

"The Trayus Academy?!" the Jedi looked at each other, confused...

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Ahsoka woke up with a dizzy head. She remembered the happenings in the Sith Temple, but she could not remember anything since the unnamed Sith Lord raised his hands and she blacked out. Holding to her head and looking around, she realised that the ancient Sith Temple and its dusty floor where mysteriously replaced by a comfortable bed in a luxury room she has never seen before. Near her was a little wooden table, on which was resting a plate of fresh berries of many kinds, and a cup of hot tea - as if though someone knew she was going to wake up soon. With her mind wondering what in the name of the Force is happening, she slowly sat up, and took a closer look at the tea. Looking at the marvellous porcelain cup, she realised that there was an inscription near its bottom, written in the same handwriting she saw in the book she found in the Sith Temple:

"_**Lannár de Jeurie"**_ she read aloud, wondering whether this cup is to be trusted or not.

Deciding she's better understand what is going on before drinking or eating anything, she got up and walked to the door. On her way, she found out that she was in the same clothes she had before, only a lot cleaner. She also found her lightsaber on another small table near the door. She took the lightsaber and exited the room without looking around too much.

She found herself standing in a pretty large sitting room, and seeing the swirling colours in the wide window on her left side, she realised she was on a luxury spaceship in hyperspace. To her right, the room divided into two corridors. She decided to take the right corridor, at the end of which she found a large kitchen with a large wooden table near the wall. Looking towards the table, she was again greeted by the sight of a large platter of fresh fruits and berries near a very similar cup to the one in her room, only this one was empty...

"You woke up earlier than I presumed." said a calm and soft voice, although Ahsoka could swear she heard a very deep and almost unnoticeable rumble with it, as if a little irritated.

"You!" exclaimed Ahsoka turning around to see that the speaker was the same unnamed Sith Lord from the Temple, only now uncloaked and dressed in a seemingly very expensive black tunic, such as if he was a noble prince. He had two lightsabers hanging on his belt, both seeming old, but one seemed particularly ancient being carved as if of wood. "What happened? Where are you taking me?"

"I saved your life from the hands of my former apprentice Darth Contabilous. You should be grateful."

"Why did you take me? Where are we going to?" Ahsoka continued asking irritated.

"Now you're on my ship, and we're heading towards a planet in the unknown regions called Schillush." answered the Sith calmly.

"Why did you take me hostage yet you let me wander around freely and have my lightsaber?" asked Ahsoka worriedly, and then realised that some things were missing. "Where are my boots and shoto?"

"Your boots are beneath the same table on which you have found your lightsaber. I believed you to be more aware the smaller details."

Ahsoka looked confused. "Where's my shoto then?" she asked again.

"Except your boots, you're now wearing on yourself every piece of clothing and weaponry you had when being taken."

"Why did you take me?!" Ahsoka asked again, now remembering that she didn't take her shoto to Thule at all.

"There is no answer to that question, that you could possibly comprehend." He answered, still in a calm tone.

"Try me!" exclaimed Ahsoka frustrated.

"You asked me why aren't you tied up - that is because I don't believe you can do any harm to me, or escape. Do not anger me though, since that is a very unwise decision to make." he answered, now coldly.

"Do you have any other questions, padawan?" he continued, now sarcastically.

"Well, that is the _first_ time you actually sound like a Sith!" exclaimed Ahsoka, "What are you then?"

"I am no Sith. Not anymore. I have experienced the prowess of the dark side and received its power long ago, but now I understand that my gravest mistake ever was to fall to that abyss."

He sat down on a chair, seemingly oblivious of Ahsoka's smirk.

"Thirteen thousand years it poisoned my mind," he continued "but no more. Unfortunately, my eyes were finally opened only when my last apprentice, Darth Sidious, tried to kill me in my sleep thirteen years ago. He believes I'm dead..." he finished in a low and somewhat sad tone, looking grimly down to the floor.

"Thirteen thousand years!" exclaimed Ahsoka in amazement and utter confusion, "How's that possible?"

"I may look like a human, but I'm not entirely a human. I'm thirteen thousand, seven hundred and twenty-two years old, and I took the dark path when being four hundred and sixty-nine." answered the former Sith.

"But who are you then? What is your name?" Ahsoka curiously continued the interrogation, now sitting down as well.

"I had a name, but I lost it to the darkness." began the young-looking, old man, "I have received the name Darth Octavious instead, being the first Sith Lord ever to have the title Darth. I was proclaimed as the most powerful Sith Lord on many occasions, and I ruled the galaxy with an iron fist for many centuries. But time never stops, and I had to leave my rule for many long years. Upon my return, no one remembered me." His voice was now very low, almost tragic. "No one hindered me, and even my apprentice, Darth Conatbilous, whom I gave power, strength, and even life, did not answer my call any longer. He saw disgrace in my departure," he now continued angrily, "and took an oath to kill me when a chance turns up. And so I fell into the deep shadows, changing names and identities one by one. I had plans, great plans, but all of them failed eventually because I gave up on their purposes for other things. My heart betrayed me on many occasions, but ever did I remember the past. The past is excruciating!"

There was a long pause, and then he continued slowly, as if weighing every word lest he says something unnecessary to be said.

"Recently, I have decided to make a new start, by taking a new Sith identity, and teaching a new apprentice. I have taken the name Darth Plagueis, and on purpose made anyone who knew him, except a selected few, to believe he was a Muun – so that no one will suspect. I achieved great things in these years, to the point that exploiting the power of my former apprentice Darth Sidious, I managed to fool the force and the life itself, and create a new life. I made the force conceive a child through a lone woman, but unfortunately the woman chosen by the treacherous force was a slave from Tatooine name Shmi Skywalker. I have created the chosen one, as the prophecies have proclaimed!"

"You mean, you created him?!" asked Ahsoka. Astonished by what she just heard, she leaned back in deep thought.

"Apparently so." he answered with a smirk of delight, "But then Sidious tried to murder me, and for aught that might be said, he was successful. I then abandoned the name of Plagueis as well. I do not know what to be called now..."

"The cup you set near my bed!" exclaimed Ahsoka, drawn away from her thoughts, "There was a name written on it - _Lannár de_ -"

"_**Sirdar**_." he cut her words, refusing to hear the surname. "The rest is sorrow..."

"Sorrow?" asked Ahsoka, confused.

After a long pause, he stood up. "We'll be arriving soon." he said in a firm, decisive and somewhat emotionless tone, and left the room saying nothing more.

Ahsoka was very confused. She just had a deep conversation with someone who was potentially the most powerful Sith ever, and the most dangerous entity in the entire galaxy. But for some reason, she felt pity for him, as if though he was a frightened lost child, separated from anyone he knew, and anyone who cared about him. Looking at the platter of fruits, she gave up to its charms and took an apple. The apple was the sweetest she has ever tasted, but she never got a chance to taste it more than her first bite – for then the world became dim, and she fell asleep again.

* * *

_**Aboard the Republic Cruiser**_

"Anakin, stop this very instance!" shouted Obi-Wan at his former padawan when the later was heading towards his light cruiser.

"Don't even try to stop me, master!"

"You have no idea what you are doing! Weren't you listening in history lessons -"

"I had no history lessons."

"What? Oh, right, you weren't a youngling at all... But you must have heard about Malachor V!"

"In fact I have, which gives more reason to go there!"

"But we have no proof! You saw that Lázzar, he's a creepy and most likely dangerous person. I bet he deals with these Sith as well!"

"With or without proof, and regardless of his loyalty and reliability master, this is our only clue, and I'm going to use it even if it is going to be a trap!"

"You lost your mind! If the Trayus Academy really _was_ re-established, it will take the strength of dozens of Jedi Masters to bring it down! We must see the council first! Anakin!"

Anakin stopped so suddenly, that Obi-Wan almost ran into him. He then turned to face his master.

"If we are to bring down the Trayus Academy, we will need the aid of many Jedi, right?" asked Anakin.

"Yes."

"And we are in the middle of a war."

"Yes, but I really don't understand where are going with -"

"The council cannot spare many Jedi for nothing, so it will need proof. If we see the council now, they will send us to investigate. If we first go investigating, and only then see the council, the whole thing will be much easier and more effective. So?"

"I hate your complex logic, but it does make sense. You win, but I'm coming with you."

"Good! Now hurry up!"

They boarded the light cruiser with a few more troops including captain Rex, and took off. Coming into open space, they set the coordinates of the dreaded planet of Malachor V, and entered hyperspace.

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**_A/N:_Hope you liked, but even if you didn't - please review and let me know how to improve myself! Constructive criticism is more than welcome!**


	3. History Gives Reasons

_**Thank you all for reading my story! Special thanks to LadyIunara, who helped me with this chapter!**_

_**Disclaimer:** I own none of the characters except OC's and none of the locations except for these I create myself. All else belongs to LucasArts Ltd._

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_**History Gives Reasons…**_

_The skies were all in clouds, but the fields were still well lit with the early afternoon sun. Ahsoka stood there, in the middle of what seemed to be a major battle. She felt very confused though, since she couldn't move her body. Neither did anyone pay attention to her._

_Thousands of armour clad warriors were fighting around her in a furious and ruthless battle, but something about it looked strange. Maybe it was the fact that all warriors were clad in plate armour, or metal mail shirts. They all used regular metal swords and daggers, and spears and maces, and some of them even axes. There were arrows whistling through the air, some rocks falling from time to time, but the overall concept was very primitive – no technology whatsoever._

_Even more surprising was that they all fought honourably – if one fell to the ground, his opponent would wait untill he stands back. If one lost his sword, and didn't have any backup weapon, he fled away, but wasn't chased by anyone. Horsemen didn't fight melee, archers didn't shoot the weapon-less and no one touched the horses whose masters were slain, or just decided to go on foot._

_Such a strange battlefield she hasn't seen yet, but the most annoying thing still, was the fact her legs walked for her. She just couldn't control them. At a certain moment, she saw something that shocked her beyond anything she saw before. Actually, she has never imagined that could be possible. It was plain there weren't any Jedi in here, and that this world was completely isolated, but still, there she saw on a hill a woman. A fighting woman. She has never heard of a fighting woman, who wasn't a Jedi, but nonetheless, there she was, clad in a tunic and robes, without any mail or armour, without any shields, but her sword was swinging with such ease and skill, that she was already surrounded by a mound of dead bodies. Seemingly, she was alone in the middle of the enemy ranks, and now she spontaneously began making her way to the nearby hill. Ahsoka followed without any other choice._

_Looking upon the woman, she realised how young she was. She looked like being in her late teens, maybe around eighteen or nineteen. She was fighting everyone around her, spinning and swinging her sword nonstop. With each spin and turn she made, her long, flowing brown hair that reached almost to her upper thighs, swung with her hitting another enemy in his face, causing him to fall because of the distraction. Her face was beautiful, and despite being in the heat of battle it also seemed very peaceful, wise and kind. She was tall and thin, and her skin was slightly darker than the skins of most others on the battlefield – all of them white human males. Her eyes were a deep and dark shade of brown, and their gaze was warm and loving (as long as you weren't an enemy of hers)._

_As she reached the hill top, the situation changed. From being the ultimate winner of the battle around her, slaying all that dare come by, she suddenly found her matches. She was now fighting the same group of warriors, turning around to defend herself from their numerous strikes. At some moment, they all ceased striking her, just as she turned around and found herself blocking swords with someone she knew already..._

_"Lázzar!" she exclaimed in amazement and confusion, just as someone from behind her took her sword out of her hand, and someone else held her hands behind her back, disabled._

_"Greetings, your majesty!" said Lázzar in a sarcastic and cruel tone, and bowed down in the most disgraceful way. "Sound the horn!" he shouted at the soldier who still held the woman's sword in his hand. He then took the horn hanging on his belt, and blew in it three short blasts. Immediately afterwards, they heard commanders shouting "Retreat! Back to the east! Retreat!"_

_"You filthy traitor!" the woman spat at Lázzar, struggling to get free._

_"Behold! The mighty Tania de Jeurie, the future empress of Singallicia! Not so mighty now, eh, sweetheart?" he yelled, now leaning towards her as his soldiers withdrew from the battlefield, and the generals of his enemies, still unaware that one of their supreme commanders was taken hostage, gave orders to chase them and kill them all._

_"We trusted you! Why?!" Tania shouted at him desperately, realising that one of her close friends just betrayed her, her country, and everything she ever held dear._

_"Alas my dear! So oblivious you are, even after all these years? Only now, on your four hundred and sixty ninth birthday you finally realise I was playing you all along?!"_

_"But why?!" she now yelled with tears dripping from her deep brown eyes._

_"I have received the call of the supreme dark lord! He wants your fiancé among his ranks."_

_"That shall never happen! Lannár is a good man! He shall never join you, and taking me won't change that!" she yelled in defiance, although deep inside feeling that she might be wrong._

_"Your story is sad, Tania dear. It is one day before your wedding, and you still don't know anything about your fiancé... Besides, no one is going to take you anywhere."_

_"What do you mean?" she asked, now looking up at him with wide, pleading eyes. His eyes, on the other hand, were still cold and cruel, and their frosty grey shade only strengthened that sensation._

_"For all the years I had to suffer," he continued, waving a hand at the soldier that held Tania, "being under the shadows of someone who was born a peasant!" he kicked her in her stomach so hard she lost her breath, and she fell to the ground as the soldier released her._

_"I was a noble prince, born to the heritage of the most ancient family in Singallicia except for the royal family, and yet I took orders from you!" he yelled at her, now kicking her again as she cried in agony. The fields were completely empty now, except for Lázzar, the soldier, Tania, and another figure far away to the west, now running towards them._

_"But now, you shall die!" he kicked her once more, and then ordered the soldier to pick her up._

_"You bastard!" she barely managed to say, before feeling something cold sting in her stomach._

_Lázzar stood now close to her, his silver knife stabbed in her tummy, and his face near hers. She was standing there only because the soldier behind her held her in his iron grip. Her mouth was opened in a silent cry._

_"And once you're dead, your fiancé will fall. The darkness shall consume him, and he shall serve for the greater purpose of the Dark Lord Aegallos the Great!" Lázzar hissed in Tania's ear. Then he took the knife out of her tummy, and stood back as the soldier let her fall to her knees, holding to her wound. He then turned around, and went a few paces away, with the soldier following him. After seven paces, he stopped, hesitating, and then with a quick turn, he threw the knife at her, and it stabbed right in her heart. She fell to the ground, not moving. Lázzar and the soldier left moments before the black clad figure that was running in the fields previously arrived, and set himself near the bleeding body of his fiancée._

_"Tania!" he cried in agony._

_"Lannár! You came for me..." she answered him in a weak voice. He held her in his hands, as she smiled to him._

_"I came too late! Forgive me!" he said, choked with tears._

_"Do not blame yourself, my love, I forgive you. Remember -" she soothed him in an even weaker voice, "remember, that I shall always love you! Do not forget me, but keep living! Do not live in the past! Promise me!"_

_"I shall never forget you, Tania. I promise."_

_"Lannár..." she said and stirred, and then her head fell down as she passed out. All the while, the clouds grew thicker, and the sunlight no longer reached the ground as much as it did before. Lannár held her dead body in his hands, now crying and sobbing aloud._

_"No!" his cry was loud, but as it left his lips the skies were suddenly alight with thousands of lightnings going through the canopy. The thunder was so loud, that it shuttered the whole planet, leaving a wound in the force. And it lasted long..._

* * *

"Ah!" Ahsoka cried out as she woke up, now in a small room on a high storey of a great castle. Looking outside the window near her bed, she saw Lannár sitting on the edge of the cliff the castle was standing on, above a vast forest. He sat there, not moving, looking towards the dark horizon. It was late night on the forgotten planet of Schillush, and the stormy skies flickered now and then with a lightning, and a distant thunder that followed. She remembered her dream, and now wondered whether it was real? Did that all really happen?

She got up at length, put on her boots, took her lightsaber and went out of the door, and into a long dark corridor. At first, she didn't mind, but when seeing the utter darkness of the corridor, she took a second look at the door - just to confirm that it was a simple wooden door, with a regular handle, and powered by nothing but her own bare hands. The whole palace was entirely dark, and there was no electricity save in a few secret rooms, of which existence only the creator of the palace knew. She ignited her lightsaber to see her way, although it was very dark still. The corridor was long and cold, made of stone, and it's floor covered by a long red carpet (although she couldn't really make out the colour in the darkness). There were many doors along the corridor, and the one she came from was on the far end of it. She walked forwards, to the staircase on the other side of the corridor. Going down the rounded stairs, she came into a grand hall, dimly lit by a few great lanterns on the high ceiling. Although the hall was large, and made mostly of grey marble, it wasn't the main hall, and except for a few more staircases going into it, and the balcony above it, there was only one door, placed on the far end where the light was almost inexistent. She made her way to the door, but moments before she could touch the handle, she heard a creaky voice from behind her:

"You're even more beautiful than I thought, young Jedi. No wonder the master falls for you!"

"Shut up you rotten crow! We were given strict orders to remain silent!" answered another voice, deeper and colder, and by far less creaky. Ahsoka looked at the direction of the voices, and there in the deep shadows, she saw a very strange figure.

"Don't talk like that in front of our guest, Phrass," said the first voice, and Ahsoka spotted movement "especially when you said yourself we're not supposed to talk!"

"I talk only to silence you! Wait, where are you going?! Stop!" cried the other voice just as Ahsoka heard the sound of - WINGS?

She didn't have enough time to think about it too much, as one of the figures, being a huge crow twice the size of Master Yoda, landed on the floor in front of her.

"Arram! Damn you old beggar!" cried Phrass, and landed beside the crow.

Arram was a very old looking, huge crow. Phrass on the other hand, was just a little smaller, but a very noble and proud looking hawk. Ahsoka just starred at them, wonder in her ocean blue eyes. Then Arram made an expression that looked like a smirk (still, Ahsoka couldn't figure out how that was possible at all), and his small yellow eyes, glinted in a somewhat mentally unstable way.

"What?" said Arram, "Never saw a talking bird before?! Eh?"

Ahsoka didn't know what to say. Then Phrass interfered:

"I apologise for my old friend in here, sometimes it seems as if though his advanced age affects his mind..." he said and looked at the old crow with pity and disgust in his eyes.

"Hey! Just to remind you, Phrass, I'm only seven-hundred and twenty-one years older than you!" protested Arram.

"Then I hope I die in less than seven-hundred and twenty-one years, lest I become like you!" answered Phrass coldly, then turned back to the stunned Ahsoka.

"I suppose I owe you a proper introduction. My name's Phrass the Brown, I'm Lannár de Sirdar's most trusted agent." he said with a bow.

"And I am," said Arram pushing Phrass aside and bowing himself, "Arram the Wise, master Lannár's even more trusted agent."

"Never listen to a crow they say." Pharss snapped at him, and ignoring his cries of protest he continued:  
"So what is your name, young Jedi? It's been a time since we've seen a Jedi..."

"I'm Ahsoka Tano, but frankly, I don't yet understand why did your master take me." she asked, her eyes pleading for an answer.

There was a long pause. None of the birds dared answer. Finally, Arram spoke, although quietly and for once - seriously:

"Our master is a complicated person. His past... is hard to comprehend, and so are his intentions."

"I saw a dream," said Ahsoka, then opened her mouth to continue but she was cut off by Phrass.

"A dream? What dream?!"

"I saw a battle -" she was cut by Phrass again.

"Silence!" Ahsoka looked confused. "I have no idea how it comes you saw that, but you must NOT mention that dream in front of the master!"

"But why?"

"He was a prince, once long ago," answered her Arram, grimly, "whose nobility, wisdom and power were beyond anyone else's in his great country. He was kind, and brought his country to riches during his young years. It was long ago, but his race is blessed with long life, and only few from it remain. There was one -"

"Shut up old crow! We're not supposed to talk, not to mention tell her that!" Phrass cut him rudely, but Arram didn't hinder him.

"There was one noble man in the country, who was a close friend of Lannár's, and was blessed with the long life as well. He is the reason Lannár fell -"

"If you don't shut it right now, I'm going straight to the master!"

"Go then for the crow's sake! I always said you were reasonless and a coward!" Arran snapped at him with frustration.

After a long pause, Phrass shook his head and turned around, but didn't go.

"Fine, but don't tell her too much!"

"Not that we know too much, Phrass. You see," he now turned back to Ahsoka "he didn't tell us everything as well. Anyways, when he was seventeen, he went on one of his anonymous trips around the capital. He dressed as a simple civilian, and no one recognised him. There, in the city's central circus, was the grand fair. There were many merchants there, selling their goods, and then he saw her – Tania de Jeurie -"

His words were cut again, but this time by a ground shaking thunder. Through the windows in the high ceiling Ahsoka saw the cloudy skies light up in an enormous lightning, and both birds flew away with caries of horror. From afar, she could hear Phrass yelling at his old mentor:

"I told you to shut up! Now he'll kill us both!"

Confusion is too little a word to describe Ahsoka's feeling in the moment. As the thunder died out, she went through the door into the main hall of the palace, which to her surprise was well lit. But what surprised her most of all, was the fact that just in front of her eyes, out of thin air, appeared a little cloud of smoke, and then, when the smoke disappeared, in it's place was standing Lannár. But he didn't hinder her, turned around on his heels and strode forwards in the direction of what seemed like a throne room. She followed him.

"Wait! Why did you bring me here?" he then stopped in his paces, and not turning to face her he answered.

"To save you from destruction."

"What destruction?! I want to go back!"

"Go then, if you find a way! I brought you here to save you from the future of the galaxy. I know the plans of the Sith, as I participated in their crafting. Soon, the republic shall fall, and you better not be there when it happens."

"If you know their plans, why won't you stop them?"

"I must no interfere."

"Why do you want to save me, and not save the rest of the galaxy?"

"Your spirit is strong, but not yours alone it was."

"What do you mean?"

"You saw a dream last night. You already know everything." he now turned to face her and as he did, she saw a momentary glimpse of a woman - Tania de Jeurie.

* * *

_**A/N: Hope you liked it! please read and review - any criticism is appreciated!**_


	4. Refound

_**A/N: Sorry for the delay - school etc. I want to thank you all for reading my story! Special thanks to LadyIunara, who keeps helping me with my story! Enjoy reading!**_

_**Disclaimer: **I own nothing except OC's, and the planet Schillush III - as well as everything else I invent and add into my story. All else is the property of LucasArts Ltd._

* * *

_**Refound**_

"I don't understand, what do you that mean my spirit is not mine?" Ahsoka asked, looking at the tall and proud man in front of her. Only now, after the initial shock of her capture eased a bit, did she notice what he really looked like. Albeit old in heart and spirit, he looked very young. He had dark brown hair, almost black, and his moustache was tuned in a way that gave him a very elegant style. He was tall, six feet at the least, and his stature was proud looking. His expression, though, was unreadable as he trained himself not to show emotions ever since his dealings with the dark side became deeper and deeper. His eyes, on the other hand, were deep and dark brown, and showed much wisdom. For some reason, his eyes gave her a soft gaze now, and in them she saw sorrow, care and longing all together. He spoke in a silent voice, as the storm outside died out, but his tone was a mixture of emotions Ahsoka could not really comprehend.

"In your dream you saw everything! You saw the battle that ended my life!"

"But I didn't understand much of it - it was all so strange! I understand now that your story is very complicated, and I'm sorry for your loss, but if you ever want to really leave the dark side, you must let the sorrow and anger go! If you tell me, I can help!"

There was a long pause, and then he turned around and began to walk away. After a few paces he waved his hand at her to follow. He led her into a library brightly lit by the precious lanterns hanging from the high ceiling. There, he motioned her to take a seat on one of the chairs nearby. Afterwards, he began pacing around and looking at different shelves, holding hundreds of old dusty books. He then began to speak.

"The force is eternal, and offers unlimited possibilities. In the days of my youth, my fiancée and I made many discoveries. She alone, though, discovered the secret of eternity. When her life power failed, her spirit did not. I believe some of it, while yet unknown by you, is hidden inside you."

"Inside me?! That is ridiculous!"

"Oh, is it then? Well, it might be. But nonetheless, you better pretend that is so if you still want my protection! For if I decide to leave you, you'll be left in these jungles where no sentient ever survives - at least as a sentient..."

"Regardless of me, you were just telling me of yourself." Ahsoka said, now playfully smiling at him.

"And that is just more proof for my statement." he sighed, his sorrowful memories flooding over him.

"I was born as a noble prince, in the Great Empire of Singallicia. Our empire was a prosperous country, respected by all others. Our people were happy, and our world wasn't poisoned by vicious technology and corruption. But that was for a good reason - the empire, and the surrounding countries as well, were ruled not by these with only power to dispose, but these who used it to guard the world from the outer galaxy. As the prince of the strongest empire on the planet, this was part of my duty.

"But in the youth of my race, the strong guardians of the world, we are merry folk. I took great joy from wandering around the capital, disguised as a simple citizen. One day I went to the Grand Circus, where there was the great market. It was during sunset, that I saw in the already half empty circus, on its edge, a young woman in her middle teens - just like I was. She was carrying many bags of goods, and she stumbled upon something and fell. I offered her my help, stubbornly refusing to hear her belays. I helped her carry her bags to her home in the outskirts of the capital, and when we arrived it was dark already. We parted, now befriended, and promised to see each other again. She already knew I was the prince, and I already knew that there was something special in that Tania de Jeurie.

"Years went by as we became close friends. She turned out to be the Arránath - the centre of the force – the point where all the force originates, an entity reincarnating from generation to generation, possessing powers beyond the reach of anyone else. We were training together in the arts of combat, and force-usage of different kinds, and when we were thirty-six, we engaged in the betrothal ceremony, and planned our wedding for the day after the day of our meeting - her birth day - in three centuries from the moment. Since our world used then a duodecimal counting system, the wedding was planned on the day after her four-hundred and sixty-ninth birthday - the day she never had a chance to see.

"In the years past our betrothal, we were sent on the behalf of the emperor - my uncle - to the outer galaxy, to learn the ways of the Jedi. We were both terrific Jedi, and soon we were knighted on Tython. But there, on Tython, we were watched. From the dark moon Bogan where he resided, the Dark Lord Aegallos the Great watched upon us. For reasons he never used to speak of, he chose me as his target - as his next apprentice. He then gave the mission to his loyal servant, Lázzar the Count of Mellados the northern hillside of Singallicia, who all along played with me and Tania forcing us to believe he was a friend.

"We were oblivious of all these happenings when we returned home. When came the second month of the new year, the four-hundred and sixty-ninth year of our lives, we were already preparing for the wedding fifteen days away. But then, a war began. The country to the east, the cursed Dehorrezhia, attacked, and only years afterwards did I discover it was all Lázzar's doing! The war was cruel, unexpected and reasonless, but fair and honourable nonetheless. Our culture held strict view of honour, and as such we did not break the code. Eventually, it came to the battle of the Mellèonath fields on the eastern borders - the battle which you have seen. When the battle ended, as suddenly as it has begun, I sensed something was wrong." tears were welling now in his eyes, and as he spoke his voice was weak and shaky.

"When she died, I held her body for hours long, and on the next day, the day after her birthday, instead of a wedding I made a funeral, which no one ever attended - only I know where lies her grave. But the darkness did consume me." now his voice turned harsh and angry, and Ahsoka could feel the very floor trembling with his sudden change of mood.

"The rage, the longing for vengeance! They drove me off into that abyss, and into the hands of Aegallos. But till this very day, I remember whom I must reserve my vengeance for - Lázzar, who escaped death in my hands thrice! Lázzar, whose silver knife that widowed me still inflicts pain upon me when I touch it! Lázzar, whose life shall end when the lake of Phellias shall turn alight!"

There was another loud thunder, and the lightning was so bright that Ahsoka couldn't help but close her eyes. When she opened them again, Lannár wasn't there. The book he placed on the table earlier was now swung open, and on the page opened she saw a symbol - a triangle eye, surrounded by flames. She remembered this symbol - it was on the blanket she had with her when Master Plo found her alone on Shili, and brought her to the Jedi Temple. Bellow the symbol was written, again in Lannár's curved handwriting - "The Arránath".

After staring at the page for a few long minutes, she got up and decided to go for a walk around the vast castle. Walking aimlessly around the dimly lit corridors, she stumbled upon a door with the same symbol wrought in gold on it. The door was slightly ajar, so she couldn't help but look inside - but there was no one in there, so she came inside herself, leaving the door behind in the same position it was earlier. It was a large bedroom, but certainly disused for a very long time. Albeit so, the room was very clean, even cleaner than the rest of the castle. The bed, covered in a dark red blanket, looked as if though someone kept it perfectly smooth and tidy. There was a large mirror on one of the walls, near the biggest dresser she has ever seen in her life. She concluded it was Tania's room once, and turning around she saw a lightsaber put on a small table near the window. She carefully walked beside it, to see it was the same wooden-like lightsaber she saw hanging on Lannár's belt when aboard his starship. It was very old, but very beautiful as well. She carefully took it off the table, and examined it in her hands. She couldn't find the activation button though, or any button at all, so she eventually put it back on the table and turned to leave. Only then did she notice the picture on the wall - it was large, reaching to the very floor, and featured a very beautiful landscape: a large lake in the middle of a hillside, and the hills were all covered in red and blue and violet flowers. The most interesting feature of the picture though, was that it didn't touch the wall on one side. Walking closer Ahsoka realised it was actually a door into a secret passage, that led downwards. Although it seemed strange to her that both of these doors were left ajar when apparently not meant to, she decided to go downstairs.

The passage was completely dark, but after a few steps, to her great surprise, it turned suddenly alight. It was lit by electric lamps along the low ceiling. She was walking down the passage for what seemed like a pretty long time, until at-last she came into a wide hangar. It was full of starships of all kinds - ranging from luxury shuttles, to star fighters. She was surprised when she saw a Jedi fighter standing near a republic gunship and a Royal Cruiser from Naboo. But no matter how many ships she tried to get inside, they were all locked down. Except for one - it was a strange fighter, the likes of which she has never seen before. It looked agile and stealthy, not too small, and indeed very fast. Its door was opened, so she went inside the black fighter, to find it empty - except for a pair of yellow eyes staring at her from the direction of the cockpit.

"You're not supposed to be here!" said the creaky voice of Arram as the giant grey crow emerged from the shadows.

"As a matter of fact, I am. Your master said that I'm free to leave whenever I want too, if I ever find a way. So, are you coming with me?"

"I bet that's not what he meant when he asked me to prepare his fighter!"

"I'm sure it wasn't, but nonetheless I know he'd keep his word. So?"

"Fine! But know he'll find you again, if he must..." he answered after a short pause, then opened his wings and flew away from the hangar, on his way opening the main exit from the hangar.

Ahsoka then climbed into the pilot seat, and started the engines. When the engines were ready, she took off, and flew away and out of the atmosphere of Schillush III.

* * *

"Anakin, please! We must inform the council!"

"Not until we find Ahsoka!"

"Anakin, we've been searching for that Trayus academy for two days now, and there's no sign of it! I'm sure the council knows its location better than we do."

"I agree, general," Rex interfered in their argument, "the faster we find it, the sooner we get out of here. This place gives me the creeps!"

"Welcome to Malachor V, then!" Rex was answered by a strange voice, emerging from the shadows of a vast cliff on their right. Out of the shadows stepped and old looking woman, and supported by her cane she came closer to them.

"Who are you?" Anakin asked her, stepping back.

"Oh, I'm just a native. I crash landed here some seventy years ago, and you're the first men I see for all these years. Might I be of any help?"

"Yes ma'am," answered Rex, "we're on a mission to find the Trayus Academy, could you please point us the direction?"

"The Trayus Academy? You should know that it's deserted for years now. I can take you there - follow me!" she said as she turned around and walked away in a decent pace.

"Rex, take your troops and go back to the ship - stay on guard, I have a bad feeling about this." Obi-Wan commanded, looking worriedly at the old woman.

"Yes general, right away!"

They followed the woman silently for almost an hour, until they arrived at what seemed like a narrow passage between the cliffs. Passing through, they saw a large, yet old and crumbling stone building - the Trayus Academy.

"It definitely seems deserted Anakin, I don't believe Ahsoka's in here."

"We must check inside!"

"I believe there's no need to do that!" said a voice from the old woman's direction, although it was different - it was cold and man-like. When they turned to see who was talking, they saw Darth Contabilous standing in the spot where the old woman stood.

"You!" exclaimed Anakin and Obi-Wan together.

"Don't talk the words out of my mouth, it is you who infiltrated my residence after all!" he exclaimed half sarcastically, half surprised as he drew his red coloured lightsaber.

Both Jedi drew their lightsabers at the same time as they all started to circle around each other.

"Might I understand what in the name of the Sith are you doing here?"

"You kidnapped my padawan! Where's Ahsoka?!"

"Your padawan? Oh, you mean that Togrutan eavesdropper? She's not here." he answered simply.

"You liar!"

"Oh really, am I? Well maybe I am, but not in this case."

"How can we know you're not lying?" asked Obi-Wan who kept quiet all the while.

"You are her master, right?" Contabilous turned back to Anakin now, "What can you sense?"

"I sense she's alive!"

"Alive! Here's your proof then - if she was at my hands, she'd be many things, but not alive..."

With that Anakin stormed at him with all fury he could muster. Obi-Wan followed, more carefully, and Contabilous took the defensive. He was very fast, and none of the Jedi got even close to breaking his defences. After a few long minutes of the two Jedi striking Contabilous furiously, he finally decided to take an offensive stance. His strikes were quicker than the Jedi expected, and that caused Obi-Wan to withdraw for a split second, an opportunity Contabilous used to kick Obi-Wan while still attacking Anakin, and the furious kick launched Obi-Wan a few feet backwards. At last Anakin withdrew, and Contabilous stopped his attacks.

"You're a little angry for a Jedi!" he snapped at Anakin, yet still calmly.

"And you're a little calm for a Sith!" Anakin snapped back.

"Oh, you want to see me angry, aye? Good luck then!"

With that Contabilous launched himself at Anakin with all fury, shouting as he did so. Obi-Wan, who sensed the immense power now omitting from the Sith Lord, sprang to his former padawan's aid. If it was hard to defend against the calm attack of Darth Contabilous, his furious attacks were much harder to fend off. At some point Obi-Wan was almost decapitated by the red lightsaber, but he was saved by Anakin who pushed Contabilous away with a strong force-push. His red eyes glowed with fury at Anakin's act, since he believed using the force to break a lightsaber combat was the most disgraceful act. The sight of Darth Contabilous was horrible then. He slightly bent forwards, put his lightsaber in his right hand and set it slightly aside, and as he showed his yellow teeth in what seemed like a growl, he released a powerful short blast of lightning from his left hand that hit Obi-Wan and sent him many yards away. As a direct result of his attack, Anakin attacked him more furious than ever, but his lightsaber was blocked by the red lightsaber, and the two found themselves struggling to gain the upper hand in the block.

"Unfortunately, Jedi, I don't have any time left to play games with you!" the Sith Lord yelled, and Anakin, who now looked him in the eyes, saw something strange - as if there was a wave of red colour emerging from the depths of the Sith's already red eyes. It was a split second since Anakin noticed the impulse, till it surfaced, in when it did, he was thrown back. Thrown back with such power, that his body felt as if he was sucked into oblivion. At last, he landed on rocks, a few miles away from the Trayus Academy, letting his lightsaber go out of his hand, and losing consciousness.

It's been almost an hour until Anakin showed any signs of consciousness. At first, he heard sounds. The sound of wind, going through the harsh landscape of the damned planet. The sound of a few rocks falling down the slopes of the mountain. And the voice of someone singing. He slowly opened his eyes, but could see only figures - like the one sitting on a rock on his right. He heard the man singing softly, and now could make out the words:

"...and so upon the winter's eve,  
When sounds of birds were heard no more,  
He stepped outside his dome to grieve,  
Upon the grave he'll never leave,  
The tomb of her who died at war.

His love he'll bear along with him  
As long as time shall let him be,  
Since widowed was the warrior wee,  
Ere married has the princess him..."

"What's going on?" Anakin mumbled, sitting upright and holding his head.

"Oh, you're awake!" said the figure in a cheerful tone. When Anakin could finally see properly, he recognised the figure.

"Lázzar!"

"Aye, that be me. I believe you didn't find what you came for?"

"No..."

"Pity. If you cannot find her here, you're better leave the planet quickly. Corruption by the dark side awaits all that stay too long."

"Who are you?"

"You said it yourself, I am Lázzar."

"No, I mean who are you except for your name?"

Lázzar smirked.

"You'll find out, eventually." he stood up. "If you want some answers, you better seek for the Shadow Guild. They know everything that goes on in this galaxy, with very few exceptions. Actually, I remember there's a special meeting scheduled for one of the major leaders of the guild with Darth Contabilous, just three days from now. The lake-country on Naboo, if I got it right." he now walked away, but stopped after a few paces. "Oh! I almost forgot - you're better keep this one closer to you next time," he threw Anakin's lightsaber over his shoulder, and right into the hands of the still sitting Jedi. "I found it some thirty yards away!"

Anakin finally got up, and looked at his palm - only to find his com-link crushed into dust. He made his way back to where the ship should be, and on his way, almost reaching the destination, he stumbled upon Obi-Wan.

"Anakin! I've been so worried about you! Contabilous escaped."

"Doesn't matter, I know where to find him next."

"How comes that?"

"I don't know his intentions, but Lázzar's clearly against Contabilous."

"Lázzar? How did he end up here? What did he tell you?"

"Contabilous is going to meet a representative of some Shadow Guild in three days from now, on Naboo."

"Shadow Guild? Never heard of that before... Anakin, I beg you come and see the council first!"

"Fine. But -"

He never finished his words, as what he saw near the ship shocked him beyond anything else. All clone troopers were slain - some decapitated, some sliced, some shot. Only Rex showed signs of life, despite the knife stabbed in his chest.

"Rex! What happened here?!"

"I'm sorry general, but we couldn't take him down..." Rex replied painfully.

"Whom? Contabilous?"

"Negative general," he replied and grunted as Anakin took the knife out of his chest. "he looked like a Jedi, with a blue lightsaber, but all the while he laughed coldly, sadistically..."

"Who?!"

"Lázzar. It was just some twenty minutes ago. He left me alive to tell you that the Shadow Guild doesn't know mercy... The knife was so sharp it went straight through my armour!"

"It can't be!" belayed Anakin, "I saw him only half an hour ago, he couldn't make it here faster than us!"

"Apparently he could. We must report it to the council immediately. Give me the knife, Anakin, I'll show it to master Yoda, maybe he can read the inscription on it…"

After helping Rex aboard, the two Jedi took all the other bodies aboard as well, and took off, heading towards Coruscant.

* * *

_**A/N: Thanks again for reading, hope you liked it! Please let me know what you think about, and tell how to improve myself! Hopefully next chapter will be on in a week.**_

_**Taylong A.**_


	5. The Shadow Guild

_**A/N: Here is another chapter for my story! I want to thank you all for reading, and special thanks to LadyIunara for helping me as usual! You should really check out her story "The Forgotten Prophecy" - it's great!**_

_**P.S.: I suppose you noted already that my story was transferred into the Star Wars the Clone Wars section...**_

_**Disclaimer: **I own non of the characters or locations except for OC's and other inventions of mine. All else is the property of LucasArts Ltd._

* * *

_**The Shadow Guild**_

After taking off from Schillush III, Ahsoka couldn't ignore the fact that despite the fighter's old age, it was also extremely comfortable. But regardless of comfort, Ahsoka just wanted to come back to Coruscant as quickly as possible, so she immediately turned to the navicomputer to set the coordinates 0,0,0. As she did so, she took one last glance upon the planet beneath her, and couldn't bear but sigh. Her encounter with the former Sith was strange indeed, and it would've been a lie to say she liked it, but nonetheless she felt something for him. Whether it was simple pity, care something else she couldn't tell. It was a strange, tingling feeling in her stomach, and she was surprised to actually enjoy it as she thought of Lannár. After staring at the green planet below for a few long minutes, she shook herself out of her thoughts and started the hyperdrive. When the ship began its acceleration upon entering hyperspace, she took another glance at the navicomputer - just to be sure. To her great surprise and frustration, the coordinates somehow changed to something else - coordinates that she couldn't recognise.

"What?! Dammit! How in the name of the force did the coordinates change?!"

She kept cursing loudly as the ship was already in hyperspace. She was now trying to get it out of hyperspace, but the ship just wouldn't respond. Eventually she completely lost her temper and slammed her hand upon the navicomputer with frustration. Just then, it displayed a message:

"Please do not hit me again."

Ahsoka stared at the computer with wide eyes. Could it be - no, that's impossible... A droid?

"What is going on here?" she asked aloud, while half of her just kept telling her she's gone out of her mind. Nonetheless, she was answered with text:

"My master gave me strict orders not to fly anywhere except for the Tar-Enedh system, unless told otherwise by him alone. You however, have no authority over me whatsoever, Miss Tano."

"How do you know my name? And why in the name of the force is there a droid brain in a star fighter?"

"My presence here is as surprising as yours, which only proves my statement that droids are smarter than the living at times, since I am not surprised by your presence at all, while you are by mine. Arram came to tell me you're coming for an escape route, and then used his incredible skills as an actor to play innocent..."

"So why does your master want me to visit this Tar-Enedh system?"

"Apparently he does not, considering the message that just arrived."

"What message?"

"The message is intended to me alone, as mentioned in the first line. However, the postscript demands that I tell you no more."

"What? Why?" Ahsoka exclaimed, a little frustrated, but she never got an answer. The rest of the journey was utterly boring, since she couldn't even meditate without hundreds of thoughts about Lannár coming into her mind. Most of these thoughts, to her surprise, were indeed thoughts about him specifically - and not of pity, but of care. She tried to shake the feelings away, but couldn't no matter how hard she tried.

After what seemed to her like eternity, the fighter finally went out of hyperspace. Immediately Ahsoka stirred up, and not in vain for the planet that emerged in front of her eyes did so extremely close by. In fact, she couldn't even see the space in front of her - only Tar-Enedh - a great green continent in front of her, and a great sea around it. She couldn't take control over the fighter which was controlled entirely by the droid brain in the computer. It flew the fighter into the atmosphere, but kept itself very high. At some point, it started to dive downwards, and Ahsoka couldn't do anything but hope for good. She even wished she had never even gotten near that damn star fighter - and as if her wish was heard by the droid, her seat belt was suddenly undone and the window above her opened. At first, she could keep herself in the cockpit, until the fighter suddenly ceased its dive and turned upside down in the meanwhile - and so Ahsoka fell out. Seeing down below her a large blue lake, she just hoped she wouldn't fall into it, since falling into water from such a height might be worse than falling onto solid concrete - and she knew it well. However, she couldn't withstand the pressure of the fall, and soon she blacked out, still falling to what seemed like her immediate death...

* * *

"The Shadow Guild, say you? Rumours, are all that heard of it, I have." the old grandmaster said while looking worriedly at master Windu by his side. Obi-Wan and Anakin were standing in front of the Jedi High Council, after a long lecture from Master Windu on how careless and dangerous their actions were when they went on Malachor V, without even announcing it to the council first.

"Only the name itself suggests something hazardous..." said Master Mundi.

"Where did you hear the name, master Kenobi?" Windu inquired.

"As a matter of fact, Anakin told me about it."

"I heard it from the same one who told us to go to Malachor V." Anakin answered simply. "I don't know who he is, but clearly he's against Darth Contabilous. Furthermore, if master Yoda has actually heard rumours of that Shadow Guild, then I see no reason his words were incorrect."

"What words?" Windu glared at him as if he was a separatist being interrogated for his crimes.

"He said that Darth Contabilous will be meeting with a high ranking leader of the Shadow Guild in two days from now, in the lake country on Naboo."

"Go there, you must. But learn more of the Guild, we must now. A bounty hunter, there is - Dellaran he is called. Find him you must, and bring him here. Interrogate him, we will." the tiny green Jedi said slowly.

"Where can we find him?" asked Obi-Wan.

"Unknown that is. But know it, some might. Found can be a bounty hunter, if another seeks him..."

"Cad Bane!" Anakin exclaimed.

"Find him, you must now."

"Yes master Yoda!" the two Jedi answered simultaneously, and then left the chamber.

"How are we supposed to find Bane, and why would he help us?" Obi-Wan asked, raising his brow.

"You need to find Cad Bane?" asked a voice from aside, and a Jedi they have never seen before emerged from around the corner. She was tall, and her long red hair flowed behind her gracefully as she moved. The most distinctive feature of hers, however, was the black cloth covering her eyes - she was blind.

"Who are you?" Anakin asked, a little irritated that they were interrupted.

"You may call me Laírra. Come, I'll take you to Bane - I know where to find him." she said, then turned around and walked away in long paces. After looking at each other briefly, Anakin and Obi-Wan decided to follow her. She led them to a shuttle, on which were stationed three clone troopers. One was sitting in the cockpit, and his armour was painted golden. She entered the cockpit and sat in the co-pilots seat, as the clone sat in the captains.

"You know where to fly, don't you Lee?" she asked him,

"Aye, m'lady." he answered in a manner that didn't fit a clone at all, and his voice didn't either. Nonetheless, Anakin and Obi-Wan didn't ask questions, and sat quietly during the whole flight - flight to the expansion region planet Shili.

* * *

"Why is Bane on Shili?" Anakin asked the strange, red haired blind Jedi on his left.

"He's there on the behalf of some intergalactic secret organisation."

"How do you know that, and what organisation is this?"

"I'm working with the Grand Army's reconnaissance forces - I know a lot of things, especially of wanted bounty hunters..."

"If you know of his whereabouts, why didn't you arrest him already?" Obi-Wan asked her suspiciously.

"Direct orders of the chancellor." she answered hastily, "Lee, land in the field over there!"

"Aye m'lady!" he said in a merry tone and landed the shuttle where she pointed - a small field near a village. Obi-Wan couldn't help but wonder how the blind Jedi saw the field in the first place...

Shortly after landing Laírra led them into the village, towards what seemed like a simple hut on the outskirts of the field they landed in. It happened to be a pub, and to their surprise, it was quite full of unpleasant entities, such as pirates, mercenaries, and bounty hunters from all over the galaxy. She led them through the pub and into a back room with much less occupants. She stopped at the door, and pointed towards the corner across the room, where sat Cad Bane with his legs on the table in front of him - seemingly fast asleep.

"You go alone - I've got some business to do across the planet. The shuttle stays here for you, but you fly it yourself. Good luck." Laírra said, and left without any other word. Anakin and Obi-Wan carefully made their way towards the ferocious bounty hunter sleeping in the corner, and when they came near him, they sat on two chairs across from him. Obi-Wan cleared his throat, and slowly Bane opened his eyes, and set his legs on the floor yawning.

"Jedi... What a nice surprise! What do you want?" he asked after looking at them.

"Information." Obi-Wan replied.

"I can provide some, for the correct price..."

"Your price is freedom," Anakin interrupted before Obi-Wan could reply, "you tell us what we want to know, and then we go away with our army that is stationed around the pub, leaving you to sleep the rest of day peacefully."

"Sounds fair enough, especially when I believe my answers won't be too hard to give away." Bane answered as Obi-Wan glared at Anakin. He was extremely surprised, and somewhat irritated by how easy it was to make Bane talk – very much unlike a bounty hunter. Soon he came to himself again, and turned to Bane.

"What do you know of Dellaran?"

"Dellaran? That is an old legend... Never thought he really exists."

"Doesn't exist?!" Anakin and Obi-Wan exclaimed simultaneously.

"Not nowadays anyway. According to legend, he was the greatest mercenary ever in history. He wore mandalorian armour, pretty similar to Jango Fett's a few years ago - some say Dellaran was Jango's original inspiration..."

"When did he live?"

"That's the illogical part of the legend. If you take it literally, he's known to take missions from anyone who gave the right price - like myself - and he did everything he was asked to in the most efficient way. He's known to be behind the murders of dozens of Jedi and Sith alike, from over two millennia ago. But it is also said that his last mission ever was to eliminate Master Yoda's first padawan - and he did..."

"So why did Yoda send us to find him?" Anakin exclaimed, now very much frustrated.

"He sent you to find Dellaran?" Bane laughed aloud, but stopped shortly afterwards and continued in a serious tone: "Why?"

"We need to know more of something..." Obi-Wan replied lamely, but was cut off by Anakin:

"We need information about the Shadow Guild. Do you know anything about it?"

"As a matter of fact I do - I'm a member of the Guild, and I've been ordered to wait here for you and answer your questions."

"How did you know we're coming here?" Obi-Wan asked, confused.

"The Guild knows everything."

"What is that Guild?" Anakin went straight to the point.

"The Guild is an organisation formed long before the Republic, meant to keep the galaxy intact. It began when the Rakatas started to lose their power over the galaxy, and it has never changed since. It's the gathering of the strong in a secret society, meant to override the government when that misleads the Republic, to lift the economy up when it falls, etc. The Guild's ultimate power over the Banking Clan, although it remains secret even to their chairman himself, is the only factor that holds galactic standard currency so stable. The Guild holds ultimate control over the galaxy, but it's a dictatorship nonetheless - even the highest ranking members don't know the identity of the leader - the most powerful entity in the galaxy!"

"That's impossible!" Obi-Wan exclaimed, but the two others ignored him as Anakin continued to question Bane.

"And what do the Sith have to do with the Shadow Guild?"

"The Sith rarely took a position inside the Guild, but always stayed in touch, so to say. Nowadays, rumours tell that the chief loses faith in the current government beyond anything before, and plans to take things, into his own hands..."

"Does that mean the Chancellor might be endangered?" Obi-Wan asked thoughtfully.

"No, it means the Jedi might be endangered, since they hold the Republic Senate at its power more than anything else. The Jedi are the only organisation unaffected by the Shadow Guild."

"If the Sith don't mess with the Guild," Anakin continued, "then why does Darth Contabilous meet a representative of the Guild in two days from now?"

"That is because of conspiracy." Anakin was answered by a cold voice from behind. Turning around, the two Jedi saw a tall man, clad in white mandalorian armour with silver stripes along it. He had two heavily modified, twin WESTAR 34 blasters on his belt, and strange markings all over his armour wrought in silver and gold.

"Who are you?" the two Jedi asked simultaneously.

"Dellaran, if it's not obvious enough yet."

"What are you doing here?" Bane asked the mercenary across for him.

"To tell you that you've talked enough." he said coldly, and then turned back to the Jedi "The Republic crumbles. Nowadays, there are three conspiracies against it - made by Darth Sidious, Darth Contabilous and the Guild's chief respectively. All that stand in the middle of these conflicts, will be torn apart, unless they hold all the power in the galaxy, in their very hands..."

"Why do you tell us this?" Anakin asked.

"To warn you - stay out of it. The Guild doesn't know mercy to these that stand in its way, and if the Jedi stay out of it, they might even find their own place in the new order." Dellaran replied, and turned to leave.

"Wait! What about Lázzar?"

"He pushes his nose into things he should not, but you are better still listen to his advice - the meeting on Naboo is meant to reveal some of the Guild's actions to the world, but we won't be able to do it without someone... eavesdropping." Dellaran answered calmly, and left the place.

The Jedi then turned back to Bane, only to find his chair empty, and him nowhere to be found. At last they decided to leave, and taking the shuttle left to them by Laírra they flew back to Coruscant.

* * *

_**A/N: Hope you liked it! Next chapter is already written, so I'll post it in a day or two...**_

_**Taylong A.**_


	6. Plans Unfolded

_**A/N: Here's chapter 6! Please read and review! Special thanks to LadyIunara who helps me with the story!**_

_**Disclaimer: **I own none of the characters or locations, except for OC's and those I invent. All else are the property of LucasArts Ltd._

* * *

_**Plans Unfolded**_

The world was black, and she felt it spinning around her for something that seemed like eternity. She didn't know what was happening, for she has never experienced something like that before - was she dead? But if she's dead, how comes she can feel the soft and warm grass beneath her, pressing to her back as she lay there, presumably dead? And if she was dead, how comes she could feel the soft cool wind upon her face? She eventually came to the conclusion that if this is death, then let it be - it's not that bad actually. But on the other hand, maybe she's alive? Maybe she's just lying there on the grass, near the lake she saw earlier, and is no more than just asleep (or at least partially asleep)? She tried to move, to open her eyes, to smile at the warmness of the grass and coolness of the air, but she couldn't. Her body did not respond, and she just kept lying there, as if dead. After a while, she could also smell the sweet scent of flowers, and heard a voice, as if in her head:

"Be strong Ahsoka, you are needed by the galaxy - only you can tame the mind of Lannár the Great, and only you can bring the conflict in the galaxy to an end. The force is with you - you are the force, and all the power of the galaxy is in your hands! Live, and rise to the sake of the universe!" the voice was soft, yet stern and strong, and she recognised it as Tania's voice.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, and looked upon the blue skies above her. At length she sat up, only to realise she was actually lying on the slopes of a green hill, covered with flowers of all the kinds and colours she could imagine. Below her, at the foot of the small hill, was a large lake, shiny blue and clean. She slowly walked towards the lake, recognising the surroundings from the picture she saw at Tania's room in the palace on Schillush. While stooping above the clear water, she looked along the lake, and again the skies blackened around her, as she saw a scene after scene going through the water, as if a giant window into the unknown depths of the universe.

At first she saw herself walking with her master, Anakin, along the long hallways of the Jedi Temple, speaking. As the scene changed, she saw him again, without her this time, but with an army of clones behind him, marching towards the temple during a grim night. She saw them shoot and slay the Jedi inside, slaughter the younglings, massacre the initiates. She then saw his face - it was different from what she remembered it to be. His eyes were yellow and cold, almost cruel, and she felt deep fear creeping through her very skin as she saw his face, as if printed upon the black still water of the wide lake.

As tears welled in her eyes, the scene changed again, but this time to a different course - she saw Lannár, standing in a field, and in front of him stood someone she recognised from her dream earlier this day - Lázzar. As the later laughed sadistically, Lannár stood there enraged. Tears fell from his deep brown eyes as he looked upon what seemed like her, lying dead on the grass. He then launched himself at Lázzar, albeit his loss of control was evident. It was just a small move that Lázzar made, that caused Lannár to fall with a silver knife stabbed in his heart, and as he did remorse filled her heart - as if she was responsible. As if her death in that vision was the direct cause of Lannár's.

She couldn't let her mind think of it any longer as the next vision came vivid in front of her eyes. That one seemed the most horrible - she saw Coruscant, burned down, ruined and placed in chaos and havoc. She floated over the wrecked city, saw the crumbling Jedi Temple, and continued to float towards the building that once used to be the senate. Coming in, she floated through the building until at last she stopped in a large hall, in the centre of which stood a large throne. Upon the throne sat Darth Contabilous, and by his side stood Ahsoka - corrupted by the dark side.

She now cried and the tears choked her, for she understood that she has seen all of the possible futures. As the last and most painful vision faded, she saw Tania standing in front of her, addressing her in her speech, which she could actually hear:

"Be at peace with yourself, Ahsoka, only then you can be at peace with the universe. If peace in the galaxy is to be achieved, and if the unfortunate is to be prevented, you must tame the wildness of his heart. You must let him teach you how to use your true powers, and only then, combined, you will be able to achieve all desired. Let him be your teacher, and let yourself be his guide..." the vision faded slowly, and she found herself again standing on the edge of the lake, but alone no more - Lannár was now standing on her right.

"A remarkable place it is, the Lake of Phellias." he stated looking at the horizon over the lake.

"Yes it is, master." she answered him, not really thinking of what she was saying. He turned aside, and looked upon the hill nearby - near it's foots stood three great Rowan trees, surrounding a great stone in the middle.

"So that be the fate you choose to lay upon me?" he asked, but not Ahsoka, but as if the trees. "Then so be it, I will teach you, Ahsoka Tano, as taught I have many before you! But you, Ahsoka, are special - you shall go past all that I have taught, and now henceforth you shall be one whom the prophecies mentioned long ago – not the Chosen One, but the Arránath that shall fulfill its purpose, and bring peace to the galaxy!"

After a long pause, she asked: "What did I see?"

"This is the Great Lake of Phellias - also called the Ever Seeing Lake, or the Mirror of the Force. I used to come here oftentimes with Tania, as it was her favourite place, just off the north-eastern border of Singallicia, in neutral territory. She resides here still…" he sighed and looked towards the rowan trees again. "The lake can show us the past, the current, and the future. There is no place in the galaxy, in its past and present, that the lake cannot show, as long as you know how to use it." he smiled as he spoke, quietly.

"So it is the future then." Ahsoka said grimly, again fighting her tears.

"Nay, for the future is uncertain as always. What you saw in this particular case, is neither future, nor the actual present, but the plans Darth Sidious, Lázzar and Darth Contabilous have for the future, in the respective order. If one comes true, the others shall not, but if I'll have anything to say in the matter, none will come true."

"Why do they all involve me?"

"Sidious has nothing to do with you, but with your master Anakin. Lázzar is well aware of my attachment to you, and as his ultimate goal is to kill me after I suffer enough, you are his actual target as for the moment. Contabilous, on the other hand, seemed just to realise how strong you might become, and now probably seeks a way to turn you to his aid."

"Who is that Darth Sidious? How can he turn Anakin to the dark side?"

"My former apprentice Darth Sidious is better known as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine nowadays, and he's already half-way into turning Skywalker to the darkness."

"The chancellor?! Can't be!"

"It's hard to believe indeed. I wonder where did he get his political talents and skills? I didn't teach him these since I personally hate politics... Anyway, his plan is to have Anakin fall because of his attachment, his attachment to his wife Padmé Amidala. Not the cleanest person in the galaxy as well..."

"What do you mean?"

"You're better see by yourself." he raised his hand above the lake, and the lake again showed a vision.

This time Ahsoka saw the present. She saw the lakeside on Naboo, and in the hall near the lake she saw a figure standing, clad in black robes and hooded...

* * *

Anakin, Obi-Wan, Rex, Cody and a few other clones accompanied Master Yoda to Naboo, to investigate the meeting between Darth Contabilous and the representative of the Shadow Guild. Yoda showed a lot of concern in the matter, so much that he decided to go on a field mission for the first time in the last few decades if you don't count Geonosis. They landed near the lake, not too far away from the lake-palace where the meeting was supposed to be held. As they walked inside and came to the hall, they stopped on its edge in the shadow of the high stone pillars supporting the high ceiling from both sides of the hallway. Near the edge of the hall, where was the balcony, stood a hooded figure in black robes. Just as they stopped there, the door on the other side of the hall opened and in came Darth Contabilous, setting his hood off when coming closer to the Shadow Guild representative. He spoke, not too quietly, completely unaware of the Jedi watching.

"I've been told you hold a very high position in the Shadow Guild, and yet you don't look like much of that, Senator Amidala." the figure now stepped forward, taking off the hood and revealing Padmé.

"I hold the position higher than anyone else's in the Guild, except of the chief and his vice. Have you brought me what we asked for?" she also seemed completely unaware of the Jedi. On the other hand, if Obi-Wan didn't put his hand on Anakin's mouth he would've screamed out of horror long ago. His wife was a high member of the Shadow Guild!

"Yes, have you?"

"I do not understand why do you want so detailed plans of the Jedi Temple, but I have them. You don't want to know what I went through to get them..."

"Good. Then it's a fair exchange." they exchanged the objects - Padmé's Holobook, in exchange of what looked like an old silver knife.

"I had hard time finding this knife, and taking it out of my former master's quarters so he couldn't notice. Why do you need it anyway?" Contabilous said, looking briefly at the Holobook.

"I have no idea - direct orders from the chief." Padmé answered, looking curiously at the ancient knife.

"Whatever..." Conatbilous turned and walked to the door. At that Rex and Cody made their move towards him, but they were stopped by Yoda. When Contabilous left, Yoda motioned them to arrest the senator. They did it swiftly, so that only when they seized her she actually realised what happened.

"Hey, where did you come from?! What are you doing?!" She cried as they seized her, and dropped the silver knife to the floor.

"Padmé, how could you?!" Anakin yelled at her as the Jedi came to the light as well.

"Ani! This isn't what you think!" she cried desperately as the clones held her by her arms.

"Oh, isn't it?! So you weren't playing with me all along?! You didn't lie to me, and then used me to access information about the Jedi?!" Padmé was left speechless.

"Disappointed I am, senator Amidala." said the tiny green Jedi Master, as Obi-Wan tried to regain control over his former padawan. At last, after Anakin almost drew his lightsaber to strike Padmé out of anger, he calmed down and began sobbing quietly.

"Such a disappointment!" said a cold and cunning voice from behind them, as Lázzar stepped out of the shadows. "I really hoped you'd strike her! Ah, well..." he sighed, and as fast as a lightning his right hand moved forwards, releasing a deadly silver knife. No one could react in time - not even Yoda - as the knife flew through the air with a shriek, and stabbed into Padmé's heart, killing her instantly. As they all stared with horror at the fallen body of the former queen of Naboo, he continued speaking quietly, but very much audibly.

"The Shadow Guild knows no mercy, towards enemies, traitors, and failures alike." he moved he opened the palm of his right hand as the knife Padmé dropped earlier flew into it. "As long as I am the chief of the Guild, I shall keep this saying true!" at that all three Jedi drew their lightsabers and the clones began shooting at Lázzar, who just laughed cruelly and disappeared into thin air.

* * *

On a balcony above the hall, not too far away in the nearby building stood Dellaran in a place from where he could see it all, but couldn't be seen himself. He then activated his comlink, and in front of him appeared Lannár.

"Lázzar is indeed the chief of the Guild, master." he said.

"That is unfortunate indeed. Keep following the events, you make a good spy. I need to know more before we take action."

"Yes master!"

* * *

_**A/N: Thanks a lot for reading, I hope you liked it! Next chapter coming soon - please review my work if you like it, I really appreciate it!**_

_**Taylong A.**_


	7. Getting Closer

_**A/N: Here's a new chapter! Sorry for not updating for so long - I finished this one a while ago and began writing chapter 8, but now I have a writing block with it, and only yesterday did I realise I didn't post this one yet...**_

_**Again, special thanks to LadyIunara who helps me with the story!**_

_**Disclaimer: **I do no own Star Wars or any of the characters. I own only OC's and locations I made up myself. All else is the property of LucasArts Ltd._

* * *

_**Getting Closer**_

"Master, may I ask a question?" Ahsoka got up from her meditation and came closer to her newly assigned master. It was around noon, the day after she looked into the lake, and he was now training her in the ways of the force, showing her abilities she could never imagine before. Frankly, most that he's shown her till now were things she already knew, but with much more precision and power. They were staying in a small hut two hours of walk away from the lake, and today he made her meditate since breakfast.

"You're welcome to ask me any question you wish, regardless if it's fit answering or not - that part I'll judge myself." he answered her with a smirk, and took another sip of his tea.

"You said I am the new Arránath, right?" he nodded. "So that means I'm the living form of the force – the most force-sensitive entity in the entire galaxy?"

"Indeed."

"Then how comes that I'm not the Chosen One?"

"The prophecy of the Chosen One was spoken long before the birth of any of us, by an old master from Tython. None except the eldest in the galaxy can recall any of the actual prophecy, and I'm proud to be one of these who still remember it as it was told long ago, although I'm pretty sure my former apprentice Yoda can remember some as well. Anyway, the prophecy spoke of the most powerful _mortal_ force-sensitive, while the Arránath is immortal in spirit. Besides, there was another condition for being the Chosen One as mentioned in the prophecy - not he is supposed to bring balance to the force, not directly anyway, but he must be the one to teach the Arránath who will do so. Until now Anakin indeed was the Chosen One, but I'm beginning to doubt that..." he finished with a smile. There was a pretty long pause, and then Ahsoka asked in utter confusion:

"Yoda was your apprentice?"

"To some extent, yes. You see, he never had formal Jedi education, as he was taught by an exile Jedi Master N'Kata del Gormo on a remote swampy planet, and he came to the Temple already learnt in the ways of the force, as well as a few decades older than the average Master of the Council. I just saw to him becoming an official Jedi..."

"What were you doing in the Temple then? Weren't you a Sith?"

"Oh, I was a Sith, and a Jedi at the same time. I infiltrated the order for a purpose I cannot really recall now, but that is probably because I never achieved the goal - fortunately I suppose. I came there some four and a half millennia ago, and with the years I became a master, then member of the council, and eventually a grand-master. I held to the last title for two millennia, till I gave it away to Yoda a decade after meeting him. He just lost his first padawan then - by my order. You see, I had a comrade, Laírra - some sort of a niece of mine I suppose. She is better known by the name Dellaran - the legend of all bounty hunters and mercenaries. She's also force-sensitive, and long living. She always stood by my side, since I taught her how to shoot when she was your age, until now. As a matter of fact she called me yesterday while you were training to inform me that Lázzar is the actual leader of the Shadow Guild.

"Anyways, I decided at some point that she needed more accurate education in the ways of the force, and since I couldn't teach her myself for many reasons, I assigned her to Yoda. When I saw she was taught enough, and that Yoda was ready to take my position as the grand-master, I decided to leave since I saw my plans weren't working anyway. I talked about it with Yoda, and we together decided that Laírra's disappearance - since mine could be arranged anyway - was better to be in the way of a murder. History recorded that she was shot by Dellaran, or technically, by herself."

"So you know Yoda?"

"Weren't you listening?"

"I were, it's just surprising to know..."

"Surprising or not, I bet he'll be looking for me now that the Shadow Guild took action publicly. What is good is that Anakin didn't fall to the dark side as Lázzar wanted him to, yet. He'll most likely go to Palptine soon, so we're better hurry there ourselves. But first - you should learn a few more things..."

* * *

After Lázzar's disappearance, Anakin ran away. He didn't go off-world, as the shuttle they came with was still there, but Yoda ordered not to follow him, and to let him go through it by himself. Obi-Wan, on the other hand, couldn't stop expressing his worry.

"I only wonder what did that Lázzar plan... Do you know him master Yoda?"

"Heard of him until now, I have not."

"He is very strong with the force - he just turned into thin air! How's that possible at all?!"

"Long ago, the one who invented the technic, I knew."

"Really? Who was that?"

"Met him, you have. For a long time Lannár the Wise, called he was. Then Darth Octavious, and Lannár again."

"You mean the one who took Ahsoka?! Oh dear force, so that creepy Lázzar is connected to him in a certain way?"

"Tell for sure, I cannot. Yet find him, we must. Kidnapped, Ahsoka was not. Taught by Lannár, she probably is. Wise and strong he may be, my own master once." he looked up at the astonished Obi-Wan and smirked.

"You were once taught by a Sith?!"

"A Sith he was long ago. His mistakes understand he did. Hard is the way back to light - guilt, regret and pain, are the way to cure. Through all of them, pass he did."

"But how do we find him? As I understood Darth Contabilous also was his apprentice once, and even he couldn't find him."

"His apprentice Darth Contabilous was, many millennia before my own birth. Old, Lannár is, but in his friends confident as well. Find Dellaran first, we must. To Lannár he will lead."

"Dellaran? I beg your pardon master, but wasn't he the one who killed your first padawan?" Obi-Wan asked worriedly, looking down at the old Jedi master who was now watching over the fields in front of them.

"Killed, say you?" he looked up, as if surprised. "Killed he has not. Taken away, he has."

"What do you mean?"

"He means that I haven't killed his first padawan, but rather made her go away." said a calm and somewhat cold voice from behind them. Turning around they both saw Dellaran is his white mandalorian armour. He then bowed low to Yoda, and the later smiled kindly.

"Good to see you it is, my former padawan."

"I am pleased that fate allowed us to meet again, master." the bounty hunter said, and removed his helmet to reveal Laírra's head, still with the blindfold on her eyes. Obi-Wan looked at her shocked.

"What? How?" he mumbled.

"If you're wondering why my voice didn't give me up, then know that my helmet and armour have many tricks. The helmet changes my voice into what you hear with it..."

"But, how it comes you were Yoda's first padawan? You're so young!"

"Indeed, but my definition of young is very different of yours. I'm seven millennia old."

"Infiltrated the Temple, you have."

"Yes master, but Lannár ordered me to. I've been working as a double agent for Lannár infiltrating the high ranks of the Shadow Guild for the last few centuries. The greatest problem with the Guild is that I had to organise this entire event to understand who the leader of the Guild is. I didn't intend on the senator being slain though, but I couldn't do anything about it. Lázzar is very unpredictable and also extremely dangerous, and he favours silver knives to stab his opponents in their hearts. He was the one to kill the last Arránath, Tania." she was speaking mainly to Yoda now.

"The Arránath?" Obi-Wan asked.

"The centre of all the force in the universe, in the form of a living sentient." Laírra replied.

"Killed long ago, Tania was. How comes the last she has been, if reincarnated she should be?" Yoda asked her.

"She discovered a way to hold her spirit with her in her grave until she found the right moment to reincarnate. Even Lannár cannot understand how she did this, but only now did he find her reincarnation."

"Padawan Tano?" Yoda looked at her, as his question sounded more like a statement.

"Yes, she is indeed."

"Then the Chosen One, Anakin was, and is no longer." he said quietly. "What plans your master?"

"I don't know, he wouldn't tell. But I guess he'll be acting soon. As a matter of fact, he won't delay himself longer than a few days, and most likely it depends on Anakin. Oh, by the way, if you're waiting for him, you're better off to Coruscant. He's made it to Theed, and took a starship off world." she gave Yoda a small coin like piece, and added "If you ever need me, press the button." she then turned and left, putting her helmet back again.

"Stronger in the force, grown she has. Honoured I am that once her master, I was."

"She is a strong character indeed. So what do we do now?" Obi-Wan asked.

"To the council, we must report. Endangered the republic is - many foes gather round. Lázzar among many, is but one..."

* * *

"Enough meditation for today, Ahsoka. Let's go." Lannár said softly, speaking to the beautiful young Jedi sitting on the floor of his ancient hut.

"Where are we going?"

"Outside." he answered simply.

She followed him outside the hut, and further away into the fields. At last he stopped, some half a mile away from the hut.

"Draw your lightsaber."

"Why?"

"Now we train." he said turning back to her, as he took his primary lightsaber off his belt. Ahsoka activated her lightsaber, once again regretting she has forgotten her shoto in the Temple.

Lannár then activated his own blade, and to her surprise it was green.

"I thought your lightsaber is meant to be red!"

"My lightsaber has a very special crystal in it - as long as the wielder can control his power, and use the force to his advantage, the lightsaber will change its colour in accordance to the wielder's mood. I am calm, and quite joyful, so the blade is green. When you get me angry, it turns red, and so on..."

"Nice." at that she launched herself at him. He deflected her strike with relative ease, and attacked her himself. His movements were flawless, smooth and yet feisty. His strikes were unpredictable, and some of his moves were completely illogical and yet highly effective. His combat style was unfamiliar to Ahsoka, but she noticed he was mainly defending, not even attempting to attack.

"What form are you using?" she asked after stepping backwards, ceasing the fight.

"Surely you've heard of Juyo, right?"

"Juyo? You mean Form VII?" he nodded, "It's not even taught in the academy! Even master Drallig - the battle master - doesn't know it!"

"Well, that does not surprise me at all. Juyo, if taken by these not really learnt in it, is extremely aggressive and leads closely to the dark side. That is untrue of course, as you've seen, I used it flawlessly and yet I was extremely calm. It is led by emotion though... Anyway, the last Jedi to be formally taught Juyo that still lives is Yoda whom I taught the form, and as far as I'm concerned he also taught an incomplete version of it to Mace Windu. The later modified it into something new, but I assure you the pure and original Juyo, is far deeper and more complicated than the Jedi presume. I know it better than anyone else, since I invented it!" he smirked at her.

"But why won't you attack?"

"I won't attack you with my Juyo, since it is quite brutal after all. But what say you of Jar'kai?" he now drew Tania's lightsaber off his belt and activated its green blade as well. "I'm not too good in dual saber style, but certainly it should give you - a more challenging fight." he said as he launched himself at her, swinging the lightsabers around him in amazing and astonishing speed. She could barely hold against him, but she did her best and he indeed noted that, as shown by his soft smile.

They duelled like that for almost three hours, until at last the sun was already low in the sky. Eventually they halted their fight, and sat on the soft grass for a little while. Ahsoka looked to the setting sun, now disappearing beyond the great mountains far to the west. She looked southward along the mountain ranges, and she saw a gap between the northern and southern ranges. The northern range was by far larger and longer, being a vast wall of unbreakable stone from the gap to the far north where it couldn't be seen any longer. The southern ranges on the other hand, were much smaller in stature, much greener and warmer, much lower and fewer. They stretched not so far to the south and a little more eastward, and turned into stony hills near what looked like a large river. She once again looked at the gap between the mountains, and remembered the landscape she saw in her dream a day before.

"Master, is that gap over there the place where the battle I saw in my dream occurred?"

"The Mellèonath fields, yes indeed." he said grimly.

"Oh, I'm sorry... I -"

"Don't be. Let us go back to that hut of mine. I wonder how long it stands there? It was there when I first came here..."

"What is this hut anyway? How comes that you have its keys?"

"Stole them from the hut's former owner some thirteen and a half thousand years ago. The old man that lived there was quite astonished when he saw a teenaged boy sitting in his saloon with his fiancé, making out..." he looked up at the skies and smiled. "Of course he didn't mind, it was his summer house, and he bade us build him another one closer to the capital in exchange for this one. As a prince I didn't have any problems with it." he sighed as he began walking back to the hut.

"I see you were pretty nasty when you were young, ah?"

"When I was young, say you? To remind you, my kind is very unique and special. As a matter of fact, I am biologically only a few years older than you. The real problem comes with psychology. I'm as young as a twenty-year-old boy, and as wise as an almost fourteen-millennia old Methuselah... Oh, you probably don't know who he was, do you?"

"No, but I guess he was old."

"I believe it's the only thing he's remembered for… Unfortunately, I spent my years in the darkness. The dark side of the force, as well as many other things, is highly illogical, although much more than anything else. On one hand it craves power, craves followers, and on the other it kills you from the inside. A year in the darkness equals to a decade in the light, and in the depths I came to it is much more than a mere decade. So it comes that physically I'm far younger than my actual thirteen-thousand seven-hundred and twenty-two years, while psychologically I'm much older. Too bad psychology affects us so much - I'm badly out of shape..." he breathed sharply and almost fell, but Ahsoka caught him.

"Don't say that! If you were really out of shape, you wouldn't last a minute against me, and I'm still wondering how did I last for three hours!" she soothed him cheerfully, still aiding him in his walk. She couldn't explain it, but she just felt an urgent need to be closer to him. To make contact, to feel his warmth. Little did she know that he enjoyed her company as much as she enjoyed his...

Upon coming back to the hut Lannár gave her the keys, and followed her as she entered the completely dark room. As there was no light outside and no electricity inside, there was nothing to give light except the candles spread around the place, but these weren't lit.

"Where do you keep the matches, master?"

"Who needs matches?" he said amused as he set his hand forwards, and out of his fingers came sparks and small flames that lighted the candles.

"How did you do that?!"

"It is very similar to force-lightning, only you put less energy into the sparks themselves and more into stabilisation. Hard to create, but very useful sometimes - indeed a sort of a gentle lightning..."

"Nice... So what are we going to do tomorrow?"

"I guess we'll be training more with the force unless Laírra informs me that Anakin heads to the chancellor. In that case, we'll set out for his chambers immediately."

"Do you think I'm ready for this?"

"As ready as I am. Now off to bed!"

There were two beds in the hut - one large bed in the middle of the bedroom, and another smaller on its edge by the wall. Ahsoka slept on the second bed. After a few minutes they were both in beds, and as Lannár waved his hand again, all the lights faded.

After a while, Ahsoka still couldn't sleep. She became used to the dim light the moon gave to the room through the small window. Eventually she got up, and wandered closer to her new master. She looked upon his silent, peaceful face as he slept, and couldn't help but smile. Her feelings felt strange for her - she has never experienced something like that before - the closer to him she was, the better she felt. Looking at him she felt almost hypnotised. She literally struggled not to come any closer as she stood on the edge of the bed. Despite her efforts, her inner urge made her come even closer, and she sat on the edge of the bed. Her heart was beating hard as she slowly put herself on the bed, and felt her weariness and excitement growing at the same time. He then slowly rolled into his back, still fast asleep, and as if it wasn't her - as if something deep inside made her do so, she leaned forward and kissed him on his lips. As surprised as she was with her sudden action, she still kept kissing him, as his arm wrapped around her back and pulled her closer. He was still asleep, to her even greater surprise, and she herself became dizzier by the moment. The entire world around her began spinning, and she could feel his excitement erupting through the force. She couldn't even tell if it was just a dream, a fantasy of hers forbidden to be told… After a few short minutes of the passionate, dreamy kiss, the world was still spinning round, and then everything disappeared, she lost sensation and couldn't even feel his body under her.

The next thing she could recall was the sound of a loud knock on a wooden surface. Dizzily, she opened her eyes and raised her head from Lannár's shoulder, and looked around. Then there was another knock on the wooden door, only more violent this time, and with it she heard a loud and almost demanding whine from a horse whose tail she could now see through the window in front of her…

* * *

**A/N: Thanks a lot for reading! Hope you liked it - please leave a review, constructive criticism is always appreciated!** _**Chapter 8 might take a while longer, but hopefully I'll finish it in a week...**_

**_Taylong A._**


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